


Into the Depths of the Night

by SgtPepper007



Series: EXO Oneshots [7]
Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Comfort, Field Trip, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Stargazing, Stars, Tiny bit of Angst, because i can't write something that doesn't have a bit of angst in it can't i?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-15
Updated: 2019-08-15
Packaged: 2020-09-01 03:03:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,361
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20251111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SgtPepper007/pseuds/SgtPepper007
Summary: Kyungsoo and Chanyeol take part in their university's field trip and spend the night in each other's company under unplanned circumstances, but the night ended up giving them what they found out they needed the most.





	Into the Depths of the Night

**Author's Note:**

  * For [fallacyofwhat](https://archiveofourown.org/users/fallacyofwhat/gifts).

> This ChanSoo oneshot is dedicated to J, dearest friend and partner in crime, as a simple but heartfelt gift on a special day.  
Love you <3

The air was thick and humid, making a few drops of sweat fall on Kyungsoo’s face. He turned around in his camping bag, the material too hot for the current weather. As he laid on his right side, he could see his friend’s peaceful expression, deep in his sleep. A few snores were escaping his lips as his body was completely relaxed, his chest moving along with his steady breathing pattern. Kyungsoo smiled at the sight, relieved that his friend, who was usually stressed out because of his workload, could finally be at ease and have some time of much needed rest.

Kyungsoo, on the other hand, couldn’t sleep at all, feeling too uncomfortable in his clothes that were wet from his sweating body. The tent was hot and small, leaving no space for any air to enter. He couldn’t leave the entrance open since there were too many insects around. He didn’t really mind it, but he wouldn’t want to wake up next to a non identified specimen either. Jeju Island was filled with a great diversity of insects he never saw before and he wasn’t too keen on exploring it first thing in the morning.

The student rolled around in his camping bag for the next hour or so, sleep nowhere in sight. He sighed, now lying on his back. With his left hand, he felt the ground next to him until he touched what seemed like his cell phone. He took it and looked at the time.

Kyungsoo sighed again, gently dropping his phone on his side. His eyelids were heavy, pleading for him to sleep, but his mind wouldn’t follow it. He kept thinking about his upcoming projects, the concert he had to conduct in three weeks, as well as the piece he was currently arranging. His mind wouldn’t leave him alone, all kinds of thoughts related to his classes twirling in his head.

After a while, he got tired of being laid down, his body itching to move and to just do something. The music student got on his knees and crawled until he found the zipper of the tent’s entrance, unzipping it slowly to make sure the noise wouldn’t wake Minseok from his deep sleep. When the opening was wide enough for him to go through it, he exited the tent, careful with his movements, and closed it.

The camping site was pitched dark. The small man blinked his eyes and squinted in an attempt to at least make out his surroundings. He left his phone inside the tent and there was no way he would disrupt his friend just for the sake of having a source of light for his impulsive nocturnal adventure. As he was starting to walk with his arms raised in front of him, making sure he wouldn’t hit anything in his way, a light was suddenly shining on him by his left side. Kyungsoo jumped a little bit, not expecting it. When he turned around, he saw a familiar figure; a tall man with blonde short hair and a smirk playing on his lips. “Chanyeol, could you turn the light off? It’s too early for me to turn blind.”

“Don’t want to be the first blind conductor ever? You could gain a lot of money from it,” said his friend while directing the light coming from his phone towards the ground.

“Yeah, and I could also ruin my career because how the hell can a blind man arrange orchestral scores and conduct ensembles?”

“Beethoven was deaf yet he composed masterpieces that are still recognised even to this day.”

“Shut up.”

Chanyeol laughed while Kyungsoo rubbed his eyes, recovering from the attack it underwent. When the small dots of light started to clear up in his vision, he looked at his friend’s direction. “What are you doing here so early in the morning?”

“I could ask the same question to you.”

Kyungsoo averted his eyes and stayed silent. The other student walked closer until their arms were almost brushing. The two men didn’t say a word for a few moments, listening to the sounds of the locusts and feeling the humid air against their skin. “I know a place where we can have a clear view of the sky. Want to come with me?” Chanyeol asked. The other man looked at him, lifting his head a little bit in the process in order to see his face. He was looking far ahead, lost in his thoughts. It wouldn’t be too bad to spend some time alone with him since they hadn’t seen each other in a while. Moreover, he had nothing better to do. Kyungsoo nodded and said a small “sure,” making his friend smile.

The two men then walked slowly in the camping site while following the tall man’s lead, crushing a couple of stray branches here and there, and trying not to come across some weird insects. Chanyeol jumped a few times at the sight of some of them, the light coming from his cell phone showing what he described as being “disgusting” each time it illuminated them. They went near a forest and walked deeper into it, Chanyeol gripping Kyungsoo’s arms when strange noises were audible. Some wild animals were probably walking around the bushes, making the tall man paranoid throughout their expedition. The music student laughed each time his friend got scared and even managed to scare him as well with a few tricks. His sleepless night was taking a pleasant turn.

After a while, the two men exited the forest, the path they were taking being connected to a grass field. Chanyeol loosened his grip on Kyungsoo’s arms and walked ahead, stopping right in the middle of it before lying on the ground. The music student followed him and stood right next to him before sitting and looking at the sky. He pushed his arms back, hands on the grass, and bent his neck, facing the sky filled with stars that were shining brightly. There were no clouds, the sky clear and beautiful. 

The two friends stood still, only the faint blow of the wind and their breathing echoing in the empty field. Kyungsoo relaxed more and laid on his back, arms crossed behind his head where it was resting. He breathed in deeply and closed his eyes before opening them slowly, gaze focused on the sky. The air was still humid, but at least the faint breeze made it less uncomfortable.

“Shit.” Chanyeol’s curse made the small man turn his head around. The other student was fiddling with his phone, pushing every button furiously. “Of course, the battery decided to die just right when I was about to take a breathtaking picture. Screw you, useless phone!” He dropped his device aside, sighing in frustration. Kyungsoo laughed and focused his gaze at the sky again, feeling sleepier than earlier.

“Aren’t you exaggerating with the breathtaking picture? Your camera takes better shots than your Smartphone.”

“Considering the fact that it is a phone, it does take breathtaking pictures.”

“If you say so.”

Chanyeol nudged his friend’s side with his elbow, making him wince. “So, what are you doing here? I thought field trips were not your thing,” Chanyeol asked softly, words laced with genuine curiosity.

“Minseok dragged me, saying stuff about how I need to get out of my cave and do something else than work on my assignments and personal projects all the time.”

The tall man laughed, the sound of it making Kyungsoo crack a smile. “Can’t deny it; he’s right. I barely see you on campus. And the semester is almost over too. I’ll be graduating and then we won’t be able to see each other again as much.”

“We can still find ways to see each other.”

“Says the one who always replies to my messages by saying 'sorry, I can’t make it this week'. And that’s when you do read your messages and actually take the time to write back. Next year will be even worse because it will be your last.”

“We’ll find a way. Like now.”

“It doesn’t count. It was a coincidence!” 

Kyungsoo looked at his friend, incredulous, before focusing again on the sight of the stars shining in the sky, a sight that wasn’t granted in Seoul. “You still didn’t answer my first question, Chan. What are you doing outside at such an early hour?”

Chanyeol stayed silent for a few seconds before sighing, which troubled Kyungsoo a little bit. The older wasn’t the type to stay deep in his thoughts like now. Something was surely ticking him off. He turned his head at his right in order to look at his friend, even if he couldn’t see much because of the dark.

“Is something bothering you?” Kyungsoo asked, not wanting his friend to stay distressed.

“I don’t know…it’s just…that I am a bit scared of graduating, entering the adult world, you know? I like being a student, focusing on trivial things and activities, hanging out with my friends and working on assignments, attending classes.” The tall man’s gaze switched from the stars to his left, focused on Kyungsoo’s face that was looking straight at him. “What if nobody likes my photographies? What if I end up failing miserably and end up crushing my dream of being a renowned photographer? What if the big and merciless artist world eats me alive? I…I am scared of failing, of the uncertainty my major is plunging me in.”

Kyungsoo wasn’t sure if the sudden serious talk was because of the fact they didn’t see each other for a couple of weeks, even months, or if it was because of the special atmosphere of their quiet surroundings. But he knew one thing, and it was that Chanyeol looked fragile at that moment and that it hurt him to see his dear friend in this state.

The small man averted Chanyeol’s burning gaze and stared at the sky, trying to shake the feeling of his heart shattering even just a little. “I know what you mean, as a student majoring in music. Artistic fields are probably some of the most uncertain ones. So I can relate to your words way too much. And I wish I could say something to help you, a magic spell that would guarantee our success, but it doesn’t work like that.” He paused briefly before continuing, “But while the future is unpredictable, I know that you have talent and that you definitely can leave your mark in the industry. I saw your photos, Chan, and they are fantastic.” While looking at the sky, he suddenly felt nostalgic, recalling all the past years the two spent together. He also thought about Chanyeol’s last project, how he improved so much in such a short time. “You will finally start your career as a professional photographer. I’ll be looking forward your exhibition at the end of the school year,” Kyungsoo said with a fond smile that the other man couldn’t see in the dark.

“It’s too early to say such things. I still need to make lots of contacts and to sign a contract.”

“Only blind people can’t recognise your talent, Chan.” Chanyeol blushed at the compliment as well as the reference to his earlier statement and nudged the music student’s side again, earning him a groan.

The two men fell back into a comfortable silence, warmth enveloping their senses. Kyungsoo was relieved that Chanyeol seemed to feel at least a little bit better. Their heartfelt conversation was pleasant, natural. They were happy to be able to spend some alone time together, their busy schedules and final projects eating all of their free time. It had been a while since they talked face to face and they considered this moment precious. “What about you? What are you doing here? I mean, in the field trip," Kyungsoo asked.

“Just looking for some inspiration. One of the requirements for my final exhibition is to present shots of landscapes and different sceneries. I don’t do much of those so I thought a trip to Jeju Island would be the perfect occasion for me to get some ideas. I was right, I do feel inspired.”

Kyungsoo stayed silent and continued to stare at the sky, fighting against his eyelids. They stayed like this for a couple of minutes until Chanyeol suddenly shifted on his left side, facing Kyungsoo. “Soo, we can’t go back to the camping site, we don’t have light anymore.” The music student hummed, eyes closed and arms now on his side, his head falling on his right. Even if it was dark, Chanyeol could see his features because of their closeness. He scooted closer to his friend and dropped a hand on his belly. “The sky is beautiful, right?” Kyungsoo hummed again. “You’re not even looking at it,” exclaimed the tall man, chuckling warmly.

“I saw it. I know it is. Now could you please shut up? I am trying to sleep.” Chanyeol got even closer and didn’t avert his gaze, eyes focused on the man’s face next to him. He combed his hair with his fingers and smiled as his friend leaned to the touch. He turned fully on his right side, his whole body facing the photographer, the latter’s arm now around his hips. The older wanted to talk more with Kyungsoo but he was already almost asleep, his body getting comfortable under Chanyeol’s arm that was wrapped around him. Their conversation was short but enough for the both of them to feel better, their interaction compensating for the amount of time they spent without much contact. “Good night, Soo.”

“‘Night.”

Kyungsoo quickly fell asleep, completely calm and at ease. Chanyeol looked at him for a while, brushing his hair tenderly and hugging his waist with his other hand. “Thank you, Soo,” he whispered. “I missed you,” he added low enough so his friend wouldn’t hear it.

The two men spent the rest of the night laying on the grass field in each other’s arms, breathing in unison and feeling at peace, forgetting their worries and solely focusing on each other’s soothing presence that they dearly missed.


End file.
